Richard

The Seeker walked purposefully down the partially hidden trail, going quickly now so he could get some distance between him and… them. It's not like he had totally turned against his friends. It's just… he didn't know, awkward. The fact that Richard and Kahlan had been hopelessly in love for almost two years and then all of a sudden a woman comes along and takes Kahlan away from him? That was what he was most angry about. In some ways, the Seeker even thought that he might've not been good enough to be with the Confessor, that he didn't deserve her.

But Richard knew he did deserve a woman like her. Maybe even her.

The young man kicked a stone that was lying in the middle of the path, remembering the night before. All the emotions he had felt, they were all so real, so fresh. It was as if he could simply reach out and touch all that pain.

Richard sat on a log, waiting until his shift was over. He was so eager to get some rest, after walking all day. The former woods guide takes out a bone knife and a small piece of wood, and begins to carve the block into a… well…. he didn't know yet. After an hour or so, his creation was completed. It was a bird; he had made it for Kahlan. Richard knew that she would love it; she always did admire his wooden creations. He couldn't wait until the morning to give her the gift.

"Why don't I just give it to her now?" the Seeker said aloud, grasping the tiny bird tighter as he stood up. Sliding the knife into his brown leather boot, Richard turned and headed towards camp. It was almost Kahlan's turn to keep watch anyway. As he neared the campfire, he heard moaning noises. Confused, he crept behind a tree to see what was going on, before he took any courses of action. But what he saw wasn't at all what he had expected.

Cara and Kahlan were lying on the ground, in front of the fire. Cara was on top of Kahlan, planting kisses on the Confessor's lips and neck. Kahlan pulled away suddenly, trying to speak.

"Cara… we have to stop. We…. can't… I can't," he heard Kahlan gasp. Could this really be happening?

"What, Kahlan? Spit it out!" hissed an agitated Cara. Richard had seen enough. How could Kahlan do something like this?

"I'm," Kahlan said again, and she sees Richard standing on the edge of the clearing. Her blue eyes widen, and Richard can clearly see that she is trying to weigh her options. Tell Richard what's going on, or tell Cara what she urgently wanted to. Much to Richard's dismay, Kahlan chose Cara.

"WHAT?" Cara yelled, and Richard stepped out of the shadows.

"What's going on?" Richard demanded, but neither Kahlan nor Cara would answer. As he looked at the two women, limbs tangled together, Richard felt his world crumbling in on him. This couldn't be happening. Not to him.

"CARA! I'm losing… control! You need to get off of me," Kahlan choked out, and she closed her beautiful blue eyes tightly.

"What are you talking about? —" Cara couldn't finish, because Kahlan let out an unearthly scream, causing Richard and Cara to cover their ears.

"KAHLAN!" Cara yelled against her screams. Richard's eyes went wide when Cara looked at him.

Cara's once emerald green eyes had turned a pitch black, her pupils consuming her entire eyes. Richard was stuck, held to the spot by gripping fear. He wanted to help Cara, but he knew nothing could be done. Kahlan's back arched against the ground, the Confessor unwillingly releasing her magic into Cara.

"What's happening?" Cara screamed out, and almost immediately, the Mord'Sith's eyes returned to their normal green. Kahlan let out a sharp sob, a tear falling from a still black eye. When the inky black swirled back into Kahlan's pupil, she pushed the stunned Mord'Sith off her, putting her head in her hands. Richard let the small wooden bird drop from his hand, knowing that nothing would ever be the same.

Richard was still pained by that memory of betrayal, squeezing the smooth wooden bird. Nevertheless, he was sure that Kahlan would come back to him. The clever Seeker had heard the conversation between Cara and Zedd. He now knew the secret to loving Kahlan, which was all he had ever wanted. All he had to do now was seduce the Confessor, and she would leave Cara and love him.

This will work, I know it will. She doesn't really love Cara, she loves me! Richard thought in his delusional state.

She will come back.

He held the carving in his fisted hand, and continued down the trail.

A/N: I know, I know. Short chapter. I just didn't want to go a week without updating! Next chapter will be better, I promise. Little things lead to big ones!

On that note, I would just like to say some things. Yes, I know that I'm kind of making Richard the bad guy, but I had to! To be honest, Richard is my least favorite character, both in the show and the books. Everything is always about him, and I didn't like how in the second season of Legend of the Seeker they made Kahlan out to be a damsel in distress. I mean, in season 1, she was beating up Mord'Sith, jumping on people's horses, confessing D'Harans. Now, it seems, she is less independent. I also don't like in season 2 how R&K can suddenly kiss and hold hands. It was way better with all the sexual tension of them not being able to touch.

Okay, I'm done now. See you next week!